Met Police detective found guilty after trying to meet girl, 13, for sex

14 April 2022, 13:13 | Updated: 14 April 2022, 13:41

Olwage was convicted at Winchester Crown Court
Olwage was convicted at Winchester Crown Court. Picture: Alamy

By Will Taylor

A detective in the Metropolitan Police has been found guilty of three child sex offences after he tried to meet a '13-year-old girl' for sex.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

DC Francois Olwage was convicted of the offences at Winchester Crown Court.

Olwage, 52, who was working in the Met’s specialist operations unit, was accused of "grooming" what he thought was a 13-year-old girl he met on the Lycos online chat forum.

She was actually an undercover officer pretending to be the girl, working under the username "Smile Bear", then using the name Caitlin on WhatsApp.

Over two weeks of sexually explicit conversations in 2021, Olwage, from Stevenage, tried to meet her.

She had told him she lived in Basingstoke.

Olwage had been listed as "on duty working from home" on October 28 last year, the date he travelled by train to meet her in Basingstoke.

He was arrested at a McDonald's in the town by two undercover officers as he was about to buy a McFlurry for his meeting with "Caitlin".

Officers searching Olwage found two condoms in his bag, a bottle of lubricant and a pack of Tadalafil erectile disfunction tablets.

A box of Ferrero Rocher tablets, thought to be a present for the girl, were also found.

Olwage told jurors he did not believe Smile Bear was a 13-year-old girl, insisting he believed it was an adult "playing out a fantasy", and denied having a sexual interest in children.

Olwage admitted improperly exercising his police powers and privileges to receive the "benefit of sexual gratification".

He pleaded not guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child, attempting to cause/incite a girl aged 13 to engage in sexual activity, and meeting a girl under the age of 16 following grooming.

Updates to follow

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Breaking
Prince William said the past year has been 'brutal'

Prince William says the past year has been 'probably the hardest in his life' after King and Kate cancer diagnosis

Ian Botham was saved from the crocodile by his former rival Merv Hughes

Ian Botham saved from crocodiles by former Australian cricket rival after falling into remote river

Sara Sharif was found dead

Sara Sharif’s ‘evil’ stepmum tied her up with packaging tape, father tells court

Three people have been charged in connection with the death of One Direction star Liam Payne

Three people charged in connection with death of One Direction star Liam Payne after he fell from hotel balcony

Mohammed Aslam and Mohammed Nazir have been jailed for their involvement in the 'hitwoman in a hijab' plot

Father and son jailed after hiring 'hitwoman in a hijab' for botched revenge killing in Birmingham

Kira Rudyk has warned against Trump's 'illusion' of negotiating with Putin over Ukraine

Putin congratulates 'brave' Trump on election victory as Ukrainian MP warns against 'illusion' of peace negotiations

Women are swearing off men following Donald Trump's election win.

American women are swearing off sex with men after Donald Trump's election victory

The HS2 chairman has defended the £100m cost of a bat shed

HS2 facing backlash after cost of 'bat shed' exceeds £100m

Exclusive
Andrew Bailey has warned against the fragmentation of the global economy

'Tariffs can fracture the global economy': Bank of England governor warns against trade barriers after Trump win

Two women were arrested after locking themselves to the Scottish Parliament in a climate protest

Climate activists arrested after locking on to Scottish Parliament

Gary Neville has been forced to close his Michelin star restaurant

Gary Neville's restaurant forced into liquidation with £1m debts

President Joe Biden addressed the nation for the first time since the election

Biden pledges 'peaceful transition of power' as he promises to work with Trump in last days of administration

Dylan Willis who has been freed by the Court of Appeal

Teenager jailed after unrest to be released as court of appeal alters sentence

The 'disgusting' balls shut down beaches in Sydney

Revealed: Mysterious origin of 'disgusting' black balls that washed up on Sydney beaches

Kanya Ntuli absconded from Goodmayes Hospital in Ilford on Friday

Urgent appeal to find man who absconded from mental health facility in East London

Kamala Harris was accused of faking a phone call with a supporter.

The truth behind Kamala Harris' election day phone call with supporter after allegations went viral on social media